If a drunk driver has injured you or a loved one in Summerlin, the personal injury attorneys at Drummond Law Firm will fight for the compensation you deserve. Drunk driving accidents cause devastating injuries, including traumatic brain damage, spinal cord injuries, and wrongful death.
Nevada law allows victims of DUI crashes to pursue both compensatory and punitive damages against the impaired driver. With more than 20 years of experience handling drunk driving accident cases, our attorneys will guide you through the legal process. Call the Captain today for a free consultation to determine whether you have a viable claim.
Drunk Driver Accident Attorneys Serving Summerlin
Drummond Law Firm represents drunk driving accident victims throughout Summerlin with personalized, attorney-led representation. When you work with our firm, you speak directly with a lawyer who understands the full scope of your injuries and builds a legal strategy around your situation.
Attorney Craig Drummond, a former U.S. Army Captain and Bronze Star Medal recipient, has tried more than 50 cases and recovered millions for injured clients across Nevada.
Nevada law gives you two years from the date of your accident to file a drunk driving injury lawsuit under NRS 11.190. Acting quickly protects your right to pursue a claim. Our firm offers free consultations, home visits, hospital visits, and transportation so your injuries do not prevent you from getting help.
Without an Attorney vs. With Drummond Law Firm
Insurance companies undervalue drunk driving accident claims when victims do not have legal representation. Research from the Insurance Research Council found that victims who hired an attorney recovered approximately 3.5 times more than those who handled claims alone. A separate Lawyers.com study found that 91 percent of represented victims received a payout, compared to just 51 percent of those without a lawyer.
| Without an Attorney | With Drummond Law Firm |
| Insurance adjusters pressure you into a quick, low settlement | |
| Punitive damages available in DUI cases often go unpursued | We aggressively pursue punitive damages under NRS 42.010 on your behalf |
| You bear the burden of proving negligence and gathering evidence alone | Our team obtains BAC records, police reports, surveillance footage, and witness testimony |
| The insurance company controls the pace and terms of your claim | Attorney Craig Drummond has taken more than 50 cases to trial and will not back down |
| You risk accepting far less than your case is worth |
You deserve a legal team that fights for the full value of your drunk driving accident claim, not one that allows the insurance company to dictate the outcome.
When the stakes are high, you need an attorney who’s already been tested under pressure.
Types of Cases We Handle in Summerlin
Drunk driving accident cases in Summerlin arise from a range of collision types, and our lawyers handle claims across every category.
- Head-On Collisions: Wrong-way drivers operating under the influence cause head-on crashes that produce catastrophic injuries, including traumatic brain damage and spinal cord trauma.
- Rear-End Crashes: Impaired drivers with delayed reaction times frequently rear-end vehicles at high speed on roads like Summerlin Parkway and the 215 Beltway.
- Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents: Intoxicated drivers who fail to yield at crosswalks and intersections strike pedestrians and cyclists with devastating consequences.
- Multi-Vehicle Pileups: A single drunk driver running a red light or drifting across lanes can trigger chain-reaction collisions that injure multiple victims at once.
How Nevada Law Affects Your Drunk Driving Accident Case
Under NRS 484C.110, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle in Nevada with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher. When an impaired driver causes an accident, the victim has the right to file a civil injury claim separate from any criminal DUI prosecution the state may pursue.
Nevada follows a modified comparative negligence rule under NRS 41.141, which reduces your damages by your percentage of fault and bars recovery if your fault exceeds 50 percent.
The statute of limitations under NRS 11.190 gives you two years from the accident date to file your lawsuit. Nevada does not cap compensatory damages in most drunk driving accident cases, and punitive damages in DUI cases carry their own rules that work in the victim’s favor.
Can You Sue a Drunk Driver in Nevada?
You can file a civil lawsuit against a drunk driver in Nevada regardless of whether the state pursues criminal charges. The criminal case and your personal injury claim are separate proceedings with different standards of proof. A criminal conviction requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt, while a civil claim requires only a preponderance of the evidence.
This means you can recover compensation even if the drunk driver is not convicted. Your attorney can also use evidence from the criminal case, including BAC results, field sobriety test records, and police reports, to strengthen your civil claim.
Criminal Case vs. Civil Claim
The criminal DUI case is the state of Nevada prosecuting the drunk driver for violating NRS 484C.110. Penalties may include fines, license suspension, and jail time, but the criminal case does not compensate you for your injuries.
Your civil claim is the legal action you file to recover damages for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses. You do not need to wait for the criminal case to conclude before filing your civil lawsuit, and the outcome of one does not control the other.
Punitive Damages in DUI Cases
Nevada law allows victims of drunk driving accidents to pursue punitive damages under NRS 42.010. Punitive damages are designed to punish the drunk driver for willfully consuming alcohol and then choosing to operate a vehicle, and they are awarded in addition to your compensatory damages.
NRS 42.010 contains a provision that most competitors overlook. The standard punitive damage caps under NRS 42.005 do not apply to DUI injury cases, which means punitive damages in drunk driving accidents are effectively uncapped in Nevada. This makes DUI cases one of the few categories where a jury has full discretion to set the punitive award based on the severity of the driver’s conduct.
Dram Shop and Third-Party Liability
Nevada has limited dram shop liability under NRS 41.1305, which generally protects bars, restaurants, and casinos from lawsuits for serving alcohol to adults who later cause accidents. However, an establishment that knowingly serves alcohol to a minor can be held liable for injuries the minor causes.
Your attorney may also pursue claims under the negligent entrustment doctrine if a vehicle owner knowingly loaned their car to a driver they knew was impaired. Employers can face liability when an employee causes a drunk driving accident while acting within the scope of employment.
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What Compensation Can You Recover After a Drunk Driving Accident?
Nevada law allows drunk driving accident victims to recover both compensatory and punitive damages. Compensatory damages include medical bills, lost wages, future care costs, diminished earning capacity, and rehabilitation expenses. These figures can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars when a DUI crash causes permanent injury.
Non-economic damages compensate you for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Families who lose a loved one to a drunk driver may also pursue a wrongful death claim. Because punitive damages in DUI cases are uncapped under NRS 42.010, total awards in drunk driving accident cases can reach well into the millions depending on the circumstances.
What Should You Do After a Drunk Driving Accident?
Your actions in the hours after a drunk driving accident can directly affect the outcome of your claim. Preserving evidence early gives your attorney the strongest possible foundation to build your case.
- Call 911 and report the accident. Law enforcement will document the scene, administer field sobriety tests, and record the at-fault driver’s BAC level.
- Seek immediate medical attention. Even if you feel stable, some injuries do not produce symptoms until hours or days after the crash, and medical records create essential documentation for your claim.
- Document the scene. Photograph vehicle damage, road conditions, traffic signals, and any visible injuries. Write down the names and contact information of all witnesses.
- Do not speak to the other driver’s insurance company. Adjusters may contact you quickly to obtain statements they can use to reduce or deny your claim. Let your attorney handle all communication.
- Contact a drunk driving accident lawyer. The sooner your attorney begins preserving surveillance footage, BAC records, and witness statements, the harder it becomes for evidence to disappear.
Why Is Drunk Driving So Common in Summerlin and Las Vegas?
Las Vegas has the highest DUI arrest rate of any major city in the United States, averaging 1,987 arrests per 100,000 residents and 4,311 total DUI arrests each year. The Nevada Department of Transportation identifies impaired driving as the leading cause of motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and fatalities statewide.
Summerlin residents face elevated risk because of the community’s proximity to the Las Vegas Strip, resort corridors, and entertainment venues where alcohol is served around the clock. High-speed roads connecting Summerlin to the rest of the valley carry impaired drivers at all hours of the day and night.
Clark County DUI Arrest and Fatality Trends
Clark County consistently records the highest number of DUI-related accidents and fatalities in Nevada. Between 2018 and 2022, the state recorded 790 DUI-related deaths, averaging 158 per year, with the majority occurring in Clark County.
In 2022, Clark County reported 82 DUI fatalities, a significant increase from the 66 deaths recorded in 2021. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested 2,092 impaired drivers between October 2022 and September 2023. Law enforcement agencies continue to report that impairment is the top contributing factor in fatal crashes across the region.
24/7 Alcohol Access and High-Risk Corridors
Las Vegas is one of the few major cities in the country where bars, casinos, and restaurants serve alcohol 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This around-the-clock access increases the likelihood of impaired driving at all hours, not just during traditional nightlife periods.
High-speed corridors near Summerlin, including the I-15, Summerlin Parkway, and Charleston Boulevard, carry traffic from entertainment districts late into the night. The combination of impaired drivers and high speed limits on these roads creates conditions where even a brief lapse in reaction time can produce a fatal collision.
Recent Nevada Law Changes Under AB4 and AB175
Starting January 1, 2026, Nevada strengthened its DUI penalties through two new laws. Assembly Bill 4, known as the Safe Streets and Neighborhoods Act, increases the maximum sentence for a DUI offense resulting in death to 25 years in prison. This penalty applies even to first-time offenders with no prior DUI convictions.
Assembly Bill 175 expands the DUI lookback period from 7 years to 10 years. This means a prior DUI conviction within the past decade now counts toward enhanced penalties for a subsequent offense. These changes give prosecutors greater authority and signal that Nevada is taking an increasingly aggressive stance against impaired drivers.
How Drummond Law Firm Can Help
With more than 20 years of experience and millions recovered for injured clients, our team will fight to pursue the compensation you deserve. As your drunk driving accident lawyer in Summerlin, Attorney Craig Drummond has taken more than 50 cases to trial and knows how to hold impaired drivers accountable.
Our Reduced Fee Guarantee ensures the attorney fee will not exceed your net recovery. Do not let a drunk driver’s reckless decision go unanswered. Call the Captain today at (702) 366-9966 to schedule a free consultation.
